Summary
Following the events ofThe Last of Us 2, the third installment in the series has a tricky situation on its hands when it comes to the game’s story.The Last of Us 2dove deeper into the game’s world, but when it comes to the infected, the story has arguably hit a brick wall. UnlessThe Last of Us 3drops a huge revelation regarding the Cordyceps infection, there isn’t much room for this part of the story to evolve.
AlthoughThe Last of Usfranchise has birthed one of the greatest stories in modern gaming, its lifespan is beginning to feel limited.The Last of Us 2’s expansion of the storyprovided some fascinating insight, but the third game currently feels like it needs to wrap up Ellie’s story sooner rather than later. However, Joel’s life provides the perfect opportunity for a spin-off that has plenty of room to blossom.
The Last of Us Could Explore Joel Further With a Spin-Off
Joel’s role inThe Last of Us 2was one of the most divisive talking points in the gaming world back in 2020.The Last of Us 2killing off Joelremains an incredibly shocking story arc, and it continues to be controversial for some fans. Despite this great loss in the story, Joel still has the opportunity to return in a spin-off that has plenty of material to work with.
Joel’s Past Offers Plenty of Opportunity
Before Ellie and Joel crossed paths, there are 20 years' worth of his life to explore. This is the perfect place for a potential spin-off ofThe Last of Usto target. The franchise reveals a little bit about Joel’s past, but it’s not been explored to its full extent, yet.The Last of Us' iconic opening sequenceshowing Joel and his late daughter Sarah experiencing the outbreak is the most substantial flashback players get to see of the character. Following Sarah’s death, all that is known about Joel’s life after the tragedy is that he spiraled into a dark way of life in order to survive.
Joel’s Journey to Boston and Starting a New Life
It’s known that Joel and his brother Tommy smuggled themselves into the Boston quarantine zone, but there remains a lot to be seen about that time. Tommy and Joel had very different philosophies when it came to the two surviving, which eventually led the two to split up. With Tommy gone to join the Fireflies,Joel eventually partners with Tess. The two work together as smugglers, which is how Joel later becomes entrusted with getting Ellie across the country.
The dynamic between Joel and Tess is an underrated relationship inThe Last of Us, and it deserves to be showcased again. A Joel-centered spin-off would be a great chance to showhow far Joel and Tess have comesince they first met. Not only would a deeper look into that partnership be fascinating, but getting to play the role of a smuggler is a perfect recipe for some white-knuckle stealth gameplay.
As of now, there are no new games in theLast of Us' franchise officially announced.
The future ofThe Last of Usgames seems to be in limbo at the moment. HBO’s adaptation ofThe Last of Ushas created a ticking clock forPart 3, which is worrisome when it comes to the crafting of the game’s story.IfThe Last of Us 3marks the endof the main franchise, a spin-off focused on Joel would be the best way to add to the game’s lore without expanding the story beyond its limits.
